BA-3/6

The Soviet Broneavtomobil (BA) 3 and 6 heavy armored cars were very similar in design, appearance, and performance, being derived from an earlier type (the BA-1) and fitted with the same the turret as the T-26 and BT-5 tanks. All cars of this series were very heavily armed for the era, with a a 45 mm L/46 M1932/38 (20-K) gun; they could knock out other contemporary vehicles with ease, including tanks. However, their thin armor made them vulnerable to heavy machine gun fire and small caliber cannon fire. Both the BA-3 and BA-6 had limited off-road mobility due to their excessive weight, though mobility could be improved somewhat by fitting auxiliary tracks to the rear pair of dual tandem wheels. They had a top speed of 39 mph and carried a crew of four. Both types saw service during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939); against the Japanese in the Battle of Khalkhyn Gol (July 1939); in the Finnish Winter War (1939-1940); and against the Germans in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa (beginning June 1941). Not long thereafter, T-60 and T-70 tanks replaced BA-3s and BA-6s in the Red Army's heavy scout vehicle role. Soviet industry produced 221 BA-3 and 431 BA-6 vehicles between 1935 and 1938. Turkey purchased about 60 BA-6s in 1935, and the Finns used some captured examples.